Chapter 20: A Battle of Wills

The engagement was official, but neither Ji-Ah nor Evelyn had any intention of going along with it willingly.

Ji-Ah's Side

The morning after the event, Ji-Ah sat across from her parents in their lavish dining room, arms crossed.

"This isn't happening."

Her father barely looked up from his coffee. "It already has."

Ji-Ah gritted her teeth. "You expect me to just accept this?"

Her mother sighed, rubbing her temples. "Ji-Ah, we've been over this. You've refused every arrangement we've suggested before. This time, you don't get to say no."

Ji-Ah scoffed. "So, because Evelyn's parents are powerful, we're all supposed to bow to them?"

Her father finally met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "If we had refused, they would have made sure our company suffered for it. This is about survival, not just yours, but the family's."

Ji-Ah clenched her fists under the table. "So, I'm just a business deal to you."

Her father's silence was enough of an answer.

Ji-Ah pushed back her chair and stood up. "I'm not going to make this easy for any of you."

Her mother sighed again. "Just don't embarrass us."

Ji-Ah let out a bitter laugh. "Too late."

She stormed out, grabbing her phone to text Min-Hye and Seo-Jun.

Ji-Ah: Brunch. Urgent. I need alcohol.

Min-Hye: Let me guess. The nightmare continues?

Seo-Jun: I'll order mimosas before you get here.

Ji-Ah exhaled sharply. At least her friends understood.

Evelyn's Side

Meanwhile, Evelyn sat in her father's office, arms crossed, staring at him with a cold expression.

"I will not pretend to be a happy fiancée."

Her father barely reacted. "You don't have to pretend. You just have to obey."

Evelyn's nails dug into her palm. "You really don't care how I feel about this?"

Her father leaned back in his chair, his eyes calculating. "How you feel is irrelevant. What matters is what you can achieve."

Evelyn's brows furrowed. "Then why Ji-Ah? And that too… a woman?"

Her father smirked. "I know you're into women, Evelyn. I've always known."

Evelyn didn't let the shock show on her face. "That still doesn't explain why Ji-Ah."

Her father's gaze sharpened. "The Pentagon Project was a big deal. You and Ji-Ah made it happen. It put both of your names on the map in ways no one expected." He leaned forward. "I don't just want success, Evelyn. I want dominance. And if I have both of you together, it's the fastest way to achieve it."

Evelyn's hands curled into fists at her sides. "So, I'm just another tool for you?"

Her father smiled, a cold, knowing look in his eyes. "You're my daughter. I expect greatness from you. Ji-Ah is a part of that equation now."

Evelyn exhaled slowly, keeping her expression blank. "And if I refuse?"

His smile didn't waver. "You won't. Because if you do, you'll lose everything."

Evelyn clenched her jaw. So that's it. That's why they did this.

She hated feeling trapped. But unlike Ji-Ah, she wasn't going to waste her energy throwing tantrums.

She needed to think. Plan.

She knew better than to fight her father directly. Instead, she would wait. Play along just enough to survive.

And when the right time came—

She would leave.

She would divorce Ji-Ah, take back control of her life, and make sure her father had nothing left to use against her.

For now, she had to endure.

She stood up gracefully, forcing a small smirk onto her lips. "Fine. I'll do what you want."

Her father nodded, satisfied.

But Evelyn had already made up her mind.

This engagement was nothing more than a contract.

And like all contracts—

It would eventually end.